Issue Date:2/22/2010
Armstrong World Industries (Lancaster, Pa.) has clarified a previously announced price increase. There will be a 5 to 7 percent price increase on solid hardwood flooring products shipped in Canada or the U.S. on April 1; prices for its engineered flooring products will raise 1 to 4 percent. The company's Daniel Call attributed the increases to rising lumber and energy costs, poor weather, scarce raw material, and increased demand due to flooring mills increasing inventory. "We believe further raw material inflation is likely in the coming months," he said.
During the fourth quarter of 2009, Lumber Liquidators (Toano, Va.) posted net income of $7.1 million, a 9.7 percent increase over $6.5 million during the same period in 2008. The company had $137 million in sales, a 17.6 percent increase from $116.5 million in the same quarter last year. Its same-store net sales increased 5.5 percent while last year during the fourth quarter they fell 4.6 percent. For the year, Lumber Liquidators posted net income of $26.9 million, up 17.8 percent from $22.1 million in 2008. The company had $544.6 million in net sales, up 12.9 percent from $482.2 million in 2008; same-store net sales on the year were flat, and the company ended the year with 186 stores in 45 states. The company opened 36 new locations in 2009 and plans to open 36 to 40 new stores this year.
MAPEI Corporation (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) has acquired a 80,500-square-foot building in Dalton, Ga., for adhesive research, powdered product manufacturing and regional distribution. Also, Jose Piedra, MAPEI's senior group leader for the Adhesive Laboratory in Deerfield Beach, will relocate to the Dalton facility to carry on research for the company's low-VOC Ultrabond Eco adhesive line. The 5.2-acre property is located at 2308 Dalton Industrial Court.
Distributor News Palmer-Donavin (Columbus, Ohio) has been named a distributor for Cikel America LLC's (Miami, Fla.) Brazilian hardwood flooring products in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Palmer-Donavin has locations throughout Ohio and Indiana.
Top Quality Floor Supply (Schiller Park, Ill.), Panel Town & Floors (Columbus, Ohio), and Poirier Flooring Distributor (Hopewell, Va.) are now distributors for Harco Clear Coatings (North Brunswick, N.J.).
Dealer News On Feb. 4 Chris Zizza, president of C & R Flooring Inc. (Needham, Mass.) and Wood Floor Inspectors of New England (Framingham, Mass.), hosted Real Answers in Hardwood Flooring, a builder and architect seminar on hardwood flooring; more than 50 area contractors, architects and designers attended. Topics included installation preparation and federal regulations, including the latest VOC laws. Zizza was joined by Dave Darche, Bona US; Mike Parella, Belknap White Flooring Distribution; and Darren Chapman, Atlantic Heating and Air Conditioning. For more information on upcoming similar seminars, contact Zizza at czizza@candrflooring or 781/444-1553.
People News Michael D. Lockhart will step down as Armstrong World Industries' (Lancaster, Pa.) chief executive and president, and as chairman of the board and a director, on Feb. 28. Armstrong's board has elected James J. O'Connor chairman; O'Connor currently serves as the company's lead independent director, a position he has held since February 2009. He will head a search committee for the CEO position. Armstrong's board expects to name an interim president in the near future.
Wayne Lee is now available for technical service and customer support for Revolution Inc. (Eau Claire, Wis.). Lee can be reached at 731/333-4093 or [email protected].
At Green River-American Hardwood (Oswego, N.Y.), Scott Burega has been named national director of sales and marketing. Burega has 12 years' experience, including working for Hoboken Floors in Boston. Lisa Bray has been promoted to customer service manager after joining the company in 2006 as a customer service representative. Also, company CEO and President Randy Stertmeyer has been named president for Green River's finishing facility.
By the Numbers
On the Web Intrading Hardwood & Lumber (Austin, Texas) has launched a Web site at www.intradingco.com. The site contains information on the company's lumber business and recently released flooring brand, IHL Hardwood Flooring. At the site, technical data is available for species carried under the IHL brand, and customers can log in 24 hours a day and access pricing, stock lists, flooring profiles, mill codes and delivery statuses.Trade Group News The National Hardwood Lumber Association (Memphis, Tenn.) is offering the 2010 Leadership, Management and Development Program, which will teach new business skills and ideas to help companies address new challenges; the two-series program is offered every three years. Series 1 will be held April 11-14 at NHLA headquarters in Memphis and will be taught by Dr. Vaughn Grisham and Sandy Grisham. Series 2 will be held May 10-13 in Washington, D.C., and students will learn the inner workings of Capitol Hill and explore how various legislation will affect the hardwood industry; Deb Hawkinson, executive director of the Hardwood Federation, will lead this series. For more information, contact the NHLA's Chris Churchill at 901/399-7555 or [email protected].
The International Woodworking & Furniture Supply Fair (Atlanta) has issued a call for entries for its 2010 Challengers Distinguished Achievement Awards, which recognize companies for advancements in product, material, supply, and service technology or significant contributions to environmental improvement; the deadline is April 1. For more information, contact Jim Wulfekuhle at 404/693-8333 or [email protected].
Mark Your Calendar The dates for Surfaces 2011 have changed to Jan. 25-27; the original dates were Jan. 26-28. The location remains Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
P.C. Wood Floors (Newark, N.J.) will host P.C. Event 2010, a regional trade show, March 2 in Newark. There will be 38 vendors displaying goods and offering show specials. Gourmet food will be provided, along with raffles and entertainment. Visit www.pcevent2010.com for more information.
Decorative Flooring (Port St. Joe, Fla.) will hold an Advanced Wood Flooring Class on March 18-20 in Port St. Joe. Installation, inlay construction, profit maximization and customer relations will be addressed. To reserve a space, contact Decorative Flooring's President Jim Garth at [email protected] or 877/229-7720. For more information on this school, visit www.woodfloorschool.com.
Job Watch A tropical hardwood distributor is expanding its sales force. No relocation is necessary. The ideal candidate will have five years' experience in the lumber industry, strong sales ability and an outgoing personality. Training and support will be provided. Résumés should be sent to [email protected] with "tropical sales" in the subject line.
NWFA Member Services NWFA members can receive an in-depth view of their customers' financial position using Dunn & Bradstreets's new Comprehensive Financial Report program. This report will help you determine your customers' financial stability, predict future payment habits, and conduct comparisons to industry norms so that you can make informed credit decisions. The cost is $59 per analysis, which represents a $100 discount to NWFA members. Contact NWFA's Bill Nicely at 800/422-4556 or [email protected] for more information.
Mark Triggiano, a salesman at Black Creek, Wis.-based Ralph's Hardwood Floor Co. Inc., is the latest winner of Hardwood Floors' iTunes gift card giveaway. Triggiano won a $25 gift card by visiting the Hardwood Floors Online Resource Center (woodfloorbusiness.com/resourcecenter) and requesting information from the featured advertisers. To enter the next drawing, visit the Hardwood Floors Online Resource Center at woodfloorbusiness.com/resourcecenter to request information from featured advertisers. March 15 is the last day to be entered in a drawing for a $25 Visa gift card; visit woodfloorbusiness.com/rbresourcecenter/ and request information from our featured suppliers to enter.
